VIDEO: Fireground scene at destructive house fire on North Kaspar Avenue between Northwest Highway and Elm Street in sub-zero temperatures.
Arlington Heights police and firefighter/paramedics responded about 11:46 PM Thursday to a report of a house fire in the block of 800 North Kaspar Avenue Arlington Heights, IL. Police and firefighter/paramedics received a report that a house had flames showing from the roof. Police were first on the scene and reported the house was fully-involved with fire through the roof. Police also reported the house was difficult to access because it appeared that the door access was blocked. Neighbors reported the resident’s vehicle was not on the driveway. Initially it was only known that a man lives in the house, but the fire was too intense to search the home. Later the man arrived at the scene. While firefighters and police are investigating, it is believed that there were no victims injured by the fire.
First firefighters on the scene reported the second floor was well-involved with fire through the roof.
Firefighters had water issues because of sub-zero weather conditions that caused at least one frozen fire hydrant. Firefighters from Engine 3 found a functioning hydrant further north on the block.
The firefighting crew from Engine 2 advanced hose lines and set up the deck gun about 12:02 a.m.
Air temperature at zero temperatures caused problems with frozen fire hydrants and water pressure. Engine 2’s crew lost water pressure at about 12:07 a.m. — a common problem for firefighters when temperatures are this cold.
Rolling Meadows firefighters from Engine 15 set up a supply line to Arlington Heights Tower Ladder 1. Firefighters from Tower Ladder 1 then raised their ladder and hit the house fire with a master stream from above.
Fire command requested help from public works at about 12:17 a.m. A truck from public works was on the scene by 12:30 a.m.
ComEd was on the scene early to shut off power to the house. The ComEd crews warned about water that was overshooting the house and hitting the primary lines in the backyard. Icing would cause lines to freeze over and possibly break.
Firefighters worked hard to prevent fire from spreading to the house to the south of the burning house. Heavy fire was blowing out of windows on the first and second floor toward the house to the south. Firefighters battled those flames with a 2 1/2 inch line at the south side. Firefighters also hit the fire from the north side, but had to stay further because the north side of the house was at risk of collapse and was designated a collapse zone.
Firefighters battled the fire past 2:45 a.m. as they reported that the back porch was fully-involved with fire. Firefighters were still hitting hot spots with water and relieved crews with fresh crews about 3:15 a.m.
Mount Prospect, Rolling Meadows, Prospect Heights, and Buffalo Grove firefighters assisted Arlington Heights firefighters at the scene or providing coverage for the rest of Arlington Heights.
Stay informed with news from The Cardinal’s Emergencies Behind the Scenes Facebook page — Facebook.com/CardinalEmergencies. Includes links to favorite public safety and emergency rescuers and product manufacturers and safety companies that have facebook pages. Submit your pictures or just stay up-to-date on with fire, rescue, EMS and police photo galleries. Please add your public safety photo to the wall album — go direct to the Arlington Cardinal Emergencies Behind the Scenes photos. For a list of all of The Cardinal Facebook fan pages, go to Arlingtoncardinal.com/about/facebook …